Intro to the new Kalani staff

There are a lot of fresh faces besides the freshman class of 2019 around campus. The staff of Kalani is also upgraded with new faces. But before we go introduce some of the new staff members, first let’s start off with a familiar face who has been around awhile and loves working with students, Mr. Jon Kim Seu.

Mr. Jon Kim Seu is in fact, a class of 2002 graduate of Kalani. He previously worked at Todai Restaurant as a busboy before becoming a security guard at Kalani High School, so a lot of students have come and gone in his eyes. You probably see Mr. Jon when you’re walking through the hallways at class time, for whatever reason, hopefully to use the restroom. His favorite quote is, “Do the right thing even if no one is watching.” Mr. Jon also has some advice that is very stereotypic to his job, “Stay out of hallways during class time.”  

Ms. Tracie Kaneko, is a 9th and 11th grade outreach counselor. She likes talking with teenagers because they she can have interesting conversations with them. Ms. Kaneko is a 2004 Kalani graduate as well. She was a cheerleader from her sophomore year to senior year at Kalani, and was team captain her senior year. he was not involved in any clubs at Kalani and that is something Ms. Kaneko regrets not taking advantage of.

“Unfortunately I was not involved in any clubs at Kalani. That is something I regret not taking advantage of. If I could ‘turn back time’, I would want to join the Leo Club. When I was a student at Kalani, there weren’t as many clubs as there are today, so students should take advantage of the opportunity,” she says.  

The best part of job is her coworkers she works with on a daily basis. They are, “awesome and super supportive,” of her Ms. Kaneko says. Prior to coming to Kalani, she went to Chaminade University and majored in Counseling and Psychology. Her advice to students is simple, “Do not procrastinate under any circumstances so you can avoid the snowball effect in your classes.”

Finally, we have Mr. Matt Wong as the new sophomore class Vice Principal. Before this, he was a Vice Principal at Aikahi Elementary school on the Windward side. He likes the quick and easy commute to Kalani rather than driving to Kailua every day. Mr. Wong went to Plymouth Salem High School in Canton,Michigan, not far from Detroit. He was involved in the Rotary club and was on the high school swimming team. Mr. Wong graduated from Plymouth Salem High school in 1999. His quote that stands out to him is by Albert Einstein, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” His advice to students is short and straight to the point, “Set small and reachable goals for yourself.”

Welcome to Kalani, the home of the Falcons, new staff and welcome back to Kalani, returning staff.